A defense official has revealed that the MoD is currently examining the possible threats posed by Chinese vehicles, while staff have been instructed to avoid talking about classified information in any vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about secret information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He explained that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that security is a issue in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD technology into their car, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any vehicle, because of the growing threats of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
The revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The broader defence situation underscores the importance of strong measures and vigilance in all aspects of official operations, including transport usage to discussions practices.
